Or Die Trying
by Seito
Summary: [Base on ch 234, one-shot] A samurai without honor is a coward, A ninja without stealth is useless, And a man without a heart is emotionless. ("Congratulations,You’ve finally become the emotionless shinobi you wanted to be.”) R


Mesa no own Naruto

Seito: A short, pointless one-shot base on chapter 234 of Naruto. (It's a bit late but who cares). Anyways it's been one year since I've been Seito! Everyone gets a cookie!!! –hands out cyber cookies-

Enjoy the story! : P

&------------------------&

_Or Die Trying_

&-----------------------&

A samurai without honor is a coward

A ninja without stealth is useless

And a man without a heart is emotionless

&-----------------------&

Kakashi stared at the still body before him. Did it have to come to this? This was going to break Iruka's heart. The Copy Ninja knew how much the Chuunin cared for his students.

And Sasuke... Kakashi looked towards the direction he assumed Sasuke disappeared off to. Then his gaze turned towards the sky. The rain should come back. Everything seemed to be more comforting when it was raining...

&--------------&

"Wake up kit."

Naruto didn't answer. Deep within the young ninja's soul and mind, Kyuubi paced back and forth behind his cage. His charge laid dead (or unconscious) in front of him. The boy had collapsed; his young body wasn't able to handle his power.

"Wake up brat! Are you going to just sit there and let your friend walk away?!"

Again, Naruto didn't answer him. It was then that Kyuubi noticed that his cage was gone and the world surrounding him had turned gray.

&----------------&

Sasuke continued his way into the darkness. Each step he took brought him closer to Orochimaru, closer to power. Each step took him further into the darkness and away from his friends and home.

'I walk my own path... I will avenge my clan. No will stop me.'

The image of smiling, cheerful prankster rose in his mind. 'No even you Naruto...'

&-----------------&

Kyuubi's eyes widened. That smell on the wind; the distant sound of bells he heard, a soft jingle that slowly grew louder and louder. He turned towards the sound and snarled. His hair rose and a low growl was heard from his throat. No! Not her! Not yet!

His attention shifted back towards Naruto. The boy had yet to awaken. "C'mon, brat! If you die, then I die." Naruto didn't even move.

Kyuubi gave a sigh of defeat. There was nothing he could do once she showed up. Briefly, he wondered how angry she would be. Getting sealed by a mortal into a belly of another mortal, then showing up at her gates after twelve years, he was in trouble...

A person, female, materialized in front of him. Long, black, dragon-like wings stretched out behind her. A gust of wind blew her raven black dress and sash; both trimmed in silver. That same gust of wind blew her long black hair. For some reason, there were bells in her hair this time. Kyuubi didn't have time to ponder on that as cold, crimson red eyes locked with his. Kyuubi frowned as she spoke, "It's been awhile Kyuubi–kun."

"I didn't expect to meet you again like this, Hotaru-chan**(1)**," said Kyuubi. He only got a cold stare from his friend's ice-hard crimson eyes.

Kyuubi didn't really expect to meet his friend under these conditions. The form she took wasn't putting any ease to his mind to begin with. He had seen her like this before and hoped never to see her use this form for him.

"It's been twelve years, hasn't it?" Hotaru mused.

"Yes..."

A soft and wistful smile graced her face. Kyuubi's eyebrow rose. 'I didn't think she was capable of smiling when she was like this,' thought Kyuubi. Whenever Hotaru was in her 'black' form, he didn't believe she had emotions when she was like that.

"Sadly we don't have time to sit and talk, old friend," Hotaru. Her smile turned into a familiar smirk. "It seems you've escaped my, Death's, clutches for the second time."

Kyuubi blinked. Did she just imply what he thought she just implied? He watched as she shifted forms. Black became white, silver became gold, and crimson red turned sapphire blue. From a fallen angel, a pure angel appeared.

Standing before him now was an angel with white feathered, bird-like wigs. Her dress and sash was now pure white, trimmed in gold. The hard crimson red eyes were now a soft sapphire blue.

"Fate has spoken, my friend. The Angel of Death will sleep tonight. I, Life will lead you back," whispered Hotaru. "Take your charge and go, friend. You'll live for another day."

A bright light engulfed the three of them...

&--------------------&

Kakashi picked up Naruto. From what he could tell the blond boy was alive, barely. Naruto needed to see a doctor and fast. Kakashi looked up at the massive statues before him. "In such a place... Naruto and Sasuke..."

"It's ironic isn't it...?" said Pakkun as he watched his master.

"Yes..." answered Kakashi. "It is said that long ago, two men fought here. From the scar caused by that fight, this river was formed." The rain had come back, falling gently as it washed away the remains of the fight. "If you observe the flow... it continues flowing, without ever stopping. To mark that battle... Konoha Village was built. The ones who shared the fate of these statues... Naruto and Sasuke... Your lives are remarkably like theirs..."

Slowly, Naruto's blue eyes opened again...

&------------------&

"Traveling, young friend?"

Sasuke looked up. Sitting in a tree was a boy no older than him. The wind tossed the stranger's silver hair as golden eyes bore down at Sasuke. He was dressed in a red shirt and deep blue pants that stood out among the green foliage of the tree.

"What do you want," snapped Sasuke.

The stranger leaped down from the tree, landing softly on the ground. "Congratulations," he said while clapping, "You've finally become the emotionless shinobi you wanted to be."

"What are you talking about," demanded Sasuke. He was not in the mood to play mind games. He had somewhere to go.

"No matter what situation... a shinobi must keep their emotions on the inside... You must make the mission your top priority... and you must possess a heart that never shows tears. You have successfully done that, Sasuke-kun. You managed to kill your closest friend and the only person you've cared for since your family died," said the stranger softly.

"How do you know my name," asked Sasuke. Who the heck was this guy?

Once again the stranger didn't answer. Instead he asked, "So tell me, Sasuke-kun. Was it worth it?"

Sasuke froze. For some reason the countless memories he had shared with Naruto, the Haku and Zabuza incident, the Chuunin Exam, going to ninja school, on and on, came rushing back to him.

"What do you know about that," snarled Sasuke. This guy was playing with his mind and he didn't like it. His mind was set and no one, not Naruto, not this stranger, was going to change it.

The stranger gave him a smile. "Remember, Sasuke-kun. Absolute power corrupts and the truth is not always as plain as day. A ninja must be able to read what's underneath the underneath. Open your eyes. Maybe you'll see the truth and exactly what it is you are walking away from."

"What?!" yelled Sasuke.

The stranger just snapped his fingers and vanished, leaving Sasuke with his thoughts.

&----------------------&

'How...' thought Naruto. 'I thought I died...'

&&You almost did brat.&&

'Kyuubi?'

&&You can thank the Angel of Death and Life the next time you see her.&&

'What?'

&&Just rest kit. You can go after your friend later&&

Naruto drifted back sleep/unconscious.

&-------------------------&

Hotaru watched from up in the sky as Kakashi carried Naruto back to Konoha. She changed forms again. This time it mixed between her other two. Sun-kissed, brown hair flew in the wind as amethyst eyes watched Kakashi leave. Her robes were now a light purple color. One of her wings was white and bird-like while the other was black and dragon-like.

"Were you able to stop him, Rikugou **(1)**?" she asked.

Behind her, the stranger that just confronted Sasuke appeared as if he was standing on thin air. "No, but I gave him enough of a push to get him thinking. Do you think it will work, onee-chan?"

Hotaru closed her eyes. "Who am I say? I can't control what mortals do nor can I predict the future like mother can. What happens is because they made it happen."

Rikugou or Riku as he preferred, frowned. "So why did you save that mortal boy. It's not just because Kyuubi is your friend is it?"

Hotaru smirked. "I could care less what that bumbling, pyromaniac, idiot does. Life and Death are mine to control. I can choose who will live and who will die for that is my power."

"Yet mother is the one who tells you who will die and who will not," accused Riku.

Hotaru turned towards her brother. "You have a lot more to learn Riku. We exist to help, guide, and protect mankind. Just because we know what the future holds, doesn't mean the mortals can't change it. I didn't save that human boy. He was still alive when I came to him and Kyuubi. I just increased his chances of survival. What that boy does is entirely up to him. Just like how it's Sasuke's decision to walk away from his friends and home. We can't force them to go the way we want them to. Do you think I always completely obey mother?"

Riku just stared in shock. Hotaru just smiled. "Let's go home. I'm sure Chi is wondering where we are." Glancing toward Konoha in the distant. "It shall be very interesting to see how this turns out."

A gust of wind blew and they were gone.

&------&

Down below, a single thought pass through Naruto's mind. 'Sasuke...'

&-----------------------------------------------_Owari_------------------------------------------------&

**(1) **Riku and Hotaru. For those of you who read The La/-/er and mine's _Without Life _story you know who Hotaru is. Riku is Hotaru's foster brother. If you're not a careful reader (or are one) both Hotaru and Riku are not mortals. (I don't think they even fall in the boundary of human) They're immortals... so to speak. Despite what you read, Riku is not a twelve-year boy. (Try a few thousands years old at the least)

Seito: A short pointless one-shot... I would have posted it before ch 235 came out but I didn't... Ah well it's apart of my massive update. Throws confetti Horary!! It's been one year since I've been Seito!!

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


End file.
